My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Coiled Grass Armature

The wire is covered with wild field grass using a combination between the technique used by farmers to tie bales of wheat and traditional African coiled grass carpets.

Wire rings for the floral art design

Make wire rings for the armature. To create a coiled effect I made each ring slightly larger than the one before.

Cover the wire rings with blades and reeds of wild field grass.

Cover the wire rings with blades and reeds of wild field grass.

Continue to make more grass covered rings

Continue to make more grass covered rings.

Start connecting the grass rings with reed sections.

Tie any loose end with fishing line to create very neat rings. Start connecting the grass rings with reed sections.

The reed sections not only connects the rings but also gives it stability.

The reed sections not only connects the rings but also gives it stability. Simply press the reed through the grass ring and through the next grass ring.

Give the armature extra strength by adding longer reeds at places where it will carry more load.

Give the armature extra strength by adding longer reeds at places where it will carry more load.

Add a few long sections of grass to create a natural effect.

Add a few long sections of grass to create a natural looking effect. Let the grasses trail over and around the coil to emphasize the spiral shape.

Add wire coils to mimic the natural coils of the dried grass and add a shiny contrast to the dull grass.

Add wire coils to mimic the natural coils of the dried grass and add a shiny contrast to the dull grass.

Press a few wire sections through to create contrast with the reeds.

I also pressed a few straight wire sections through the rings to contrast with the reeds.

Coiled Grass Armature.

Once the armature is secure and keeps it's shape when held upright I attached wires to the back to create a stand.

Wire stand for the structure.

The middle section lifts the entire coil from the table and the back section allows the armature to lean slightly back and stay perfectly upright.

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Tutorials

22 February 2012 Party Balloon water source for flowers

A water balloon can be a flexible and durable water source for plant material

Related Designs

22 February 2012 Nuts and Bolts of Floral Art Mechanics

My design entered for evaluation at the Floral Trends Design Group meeting in South Africa

16 September 2015 Pointing In

wrap and glue a ring armature to create a decorative wreath

1 February 2017 Not yet Spring, Spring but a spring

Coil wire and grass to create a spring

29 March 2017 A Twirl

Suspend a wire chandelier design to twirl

21 June 2023 Floral Hurricane

My Floral Hurricane design entry for the BC Floral Art Society mini show competition